This guy doesn’t seem like he’s going to be intimidated by the reputation of Michael Vick, the arm strength of Nick Foles, the Oregon connection of Dennis Dixon or the skills set of any quarterback the Eagles and head coach Chip Kelly roll onto the field.

“You come in as a teammate to them, not as a fan,” Barkley said of the quarterbacks after applauding Vick’s “unbelievable” career. “And you come in as someone who’s ready to compete against them at the same time. You’ll be friends. I’ll get to know those guys. From what I’ve heard they’re outstanding men. But you come in knowing that you have a job and they’re trying to take that job as well. It’s competition. That’s what competing is all about.”

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Barkley is acquainted with Foles, the Pac-12 product of Arizona who sent him a congratulatory text during the draft. It’s going to take a little more time to get to know Vick, who according to at least one Eagle has gotten the bulk of the first-team snaps in the offseason workouts.

One day into the rookie camp Barkley is feeling good about the up-tempo pace, the energy and his right shoulder. Barkley doesn’t have a pitch count, if you will, as he’s fully recovered the shoulder issue that sidelined the USC product for the Sun Bowl.

“I love it,” Barkley said. “It’s a new challenge. It’s new terminology. It’s like learning a new language in a short time period. It’s the next step and I’m embracing it. And I loved being out there.”

While Barkley prefers to look forward, it’s impossible to totally block out the past, including the shoulder injury that cost him a pile of guaranteed money. Had Barkley left USC and been selected in the top 5 of the 2012 draft, which was a reasonable projection, he would have earned about $11 million more in guaranteed money than he stands to sign for as a fourth-round pick.

Barkley’s also fighting that underachiever label worn by SC quarterbacks, the list including the likes of first-round draft flop Matt Leinart.

“Everyone just wants to stereotype everyone together,” Barkley said. “And for whatever reason, that’s just been bad timing with falling on my shoulders. I think everyone has a different story. And my story has been, and will be different than anyone else’s.”

If Barkley emerges as the starting quarterback of the Eagles, something a respected NFL source familiar with the Philly operation says is a possibility, it would be a great story. Or, as one reporter called it, “a silver lining” plot kind of like the movie filmed in the Philly area.

“I think whether I was the first round or the seventh round I was going to come here with a chip on my shoulder looking to prove something,” Barkley said. “So it doesn’t matter where I end up. The fact is that I’m here and I have a shot to play on the field this year.”

Manti Te’oamong

Chargers picks

to sign

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Manti Te’o is one of four draft picks who’ve signed contracts with the San Diego Chargers.

Te’o, the linebacker from Notre Dame, was picked by the Chargers in the second round after slipping out of the opening round in part because of a poor performance in the national championship game against Alabama.

Te’o also was part of a girlfriend hoax that drew national headlines.

But the Chargers’ new brain trust, general manager Tom Telesco and coach Mike McCoy, said they weren’t bothered by the scrutiny Te’o has been under the last four months. The Chargers even traded up in the second round to pick the linebacker.

Te’o became the butt of national jokes after it was revealed he was duped into an Internet romance with a girlfriend he never met.

The too-good-to-be-true story began with Te’o’s incredible performances after learning his grandmother and what he believed was his girlfriend had died within hours of one another in September. Te’o said it inspired him to play his best football all season, and it was so compelling that it helped turn Te’o into a Heisman Trophy contender as he was leading the Fighting Irish to an undefeated regular season and into the national title game.